Padelford Riverboats seems like it’s been part of St. Paul’s downtown river scene forever, but the company actually got its start in 1969 when Capt. Bill Bowell — he of the handlebar mustache and Greek fisherman’s cap — and his wife, Lillian, launched the Jonathan Padelford in 1970.
Gus Gaspardo, 60, started as a summer worker in 1984 and worked his way up to captain, then operations manager, general manager, vice president, and finally president. He and his wife, Tammy, who began as a deckhand in 1989, now own and operate the three-boat sightseeing fleet from St. Paul’s Harriet Island.
Eye On St. Paul visited with the Gaspardos on a gorgeous morning last week to learn more about their life on the Mississippi and the riverboats that are a summer staple of the capital city. This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Q: Tell me about the fleet.
A: It started with the Jonathan Padelford. And then over the years, he expanded the fleet. They had an overnight boat at one point that ran between here and La Crosse. And then we ran down in Florida in the wintertime. That one they sold in 1988.
We built the Anson Northrup and the Betsey Northrup in the late ‘80s to run in Minneapolis. We got out of the overnight business when we expanded up to Minneapolis.
Q: What is the voyage?
A: All three boats kind of do the same type of thing. We run sightseeing cruises. We go up to the Minnesota river mouth — 4 miles upriver. We do dinner cruises. And we do a lot of charter business.